Sometime The Stork Gets Lost
by Steph-Schell
Summary: Bass hurries home when he gets bad news on the battlefield. Part 10 in the "BassxNora" series.


Miles found Bass in his tent. "Jeremy said it was urgent," he explained.

"I just got a letter from home," Bass said. "It's from the doctor. Nora…" Instead of finishing, he handed the letter to Miles.

Miles read through the letter several times. "You need to go," he declared.

Bass shook his head and went to pour himself a drink. "I can't go We're in the middle of a war."

"To hell with the war. You need to go be with your wife." Miles took the glass from him. "I'll take care of the army. That's what a general does, right? You go be with your family."

"I can't put this on you."

"We're *brothers*. I'm doing this because I love you. Look, how long does the mail system take these days? Nora's already been working through alone for ages. She needs her husband by her side. And Lilly needs her daddy." He gripped Bass' shoulder. "Go. Nora needs you more than we do."

Bass hugged him tight for a moment. "I'll write you as soon as I'm in Philly."

"Go."

Bass pushed his horse as fast as it could go and changed horses wherever he could. It still took him too long to get to Philly for his liking. He hated to think of Nora suffering on her own when he should be by her side. He was met at the mansion but Julia and Anita. "Where is she?" he demanded.

"One of the guest bedrooms," Anita reported.

"She's not well, Bass," Julia added. "She's been in there since she got the news. She won't even let Lilly near."

Bass sighed. He found his skeleton key and went to face his wife. "Nora, I'm coming in."

The room was dark and musty. All the shades were drawn against the sun's warm light. Bass could barely make out Nora huddled on the bed against the far wall. "Go away," she muttered.

"Nora, baby, we need to talk."

"I don't want to talk. Go away."

Bass shut the door behind him. "I didn't' race here from war just to have us not talk." He waited for his eyes to adjust before joining her on the bed. Bass was hurt when she flinched at his touch but he tried not to show it. Nora needed him to be strong. "Nora, I need to know how you're feeling."

"How I feel?" Nora let out a bark of pained laughter. "I feel useless, Bastian. I had one goddamn job while you were away and I couldn't even do that." A choked sob escaped her. "What kind of woman can't even keep a baby healthy in her own body?"

Bass didn't let her flinch away this time. "What did the doctors tell you?"

"They said it could be anything. Diet, stress…it's too hard to tell without proper medicine."

"It was probably stress," Bass murmured, rubbing soothing circles on her back. "Which means it's more my fault than yours. I shouldn't' be away so often, making you worry like this." Bass sighed. He maneuvered her so her head was in his lap. He stroked her hair. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry. I'll start sending Miles in my place. He's the commanding general after all. It's his job to lead the army. And I trust him to lead us well."

"What about you?" Nora asked.

"There's plenty of work for me to do here. I'm President of a fairly new nation. There's laws to pass, borders to define, people to govern, all sorts of things to keep my mind busy. And I'll be right here in the city at all times. You and Lilly will be able to see me any time you want."

Nora wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sorry," she whispered. I'm just…so sorry."

Bass hugged her tight. "You don't need to be sorry, baby. This isn't your fault."

"It feels like it is."

"But it's not. We'll be okay. Don't worry."

"Bass…Bass, it took me so long to get pregnant with Lilly. And now I lost this baby…Bastian, you're always talking about how you want a big family."

"I do," Bass agreed.

"What if…what if I can't get pregnant again?"

"We don't' know that's true."

"It could be." Nora sat up. "Bastian, you want a family. If I can't give you—"

"No."

"I honestly think you should find someone else," Nora insisted.

"Not a chance. Absolutely not. No."

"Bass, I'm not saying a new wife but there are other options."

Bass looked shocked and outraged. "I am not sleep with some god damned *whore*! I won't do that to you."

Nora looked away. It's not cheating if I agree to it."

"It is for me. You are my wife, Nora. If I'm going to have children, you're going to give them to me."

"It's not that big a deal. Kings used to do it all the time to get a male heir."

Bass kissed her gently. "I'm no king, Nora. And I would never do that to you."

"You need a son."

"I need no such thing. I know it seems like I've had this job forever but it's just a job. Once everything calms down we'll have elections. That'll make things better. I'll have more time for you and Lilly when I'm not running the government."

"Thought we were bringing the Mathesons here when things calmed down."

"We'll do that too. In fact we could actually see if we can bring Rachel here right now. You can help her set up things to bring her family over. That'll get your mind off everything. Won't that be good?"

"I suppose," Nora agreed, slumping against him. "What if Lilly is all we'll ever have?"

"Then we'll just have to spoil Lilly rotten."

"I mean, can you be okay with just the three of us?"

"Nora, I love you. As long as you and Lilly are in my life, I'm happy. All that matter is that you two are safe, happy and healthy. Anything else we can deal with together."

Nora curled into his arms. "I am so lucky to have you," she whispered.

Bass kissed the top of her head. "That's my line," he told her. "You have no idea how blessed I feel to have you and Lilly in my life."

They looked up at a quiet knocking on the door. It squeaked open to reveal Lilly standing there. "May I come in?" she asked.

"Of course, princess," Bass said. "Come sit with us."

Lilly scurried to the bed and curled up in their laps. "Are you still sad, Mommy?"

"A little," Nora said honestly. "But having Daddy home helps." She smiled at her husband. Bass smiled softly at both of them.

"Daddy, I thought you had to watch over the war."

"Uncle Miles is watching the war for me." Bass glanced at his wife again. "Uncle Miles is going to be doing that a lot more."

Nora wanted not more than to just rest with her family and soak in their love. But Lilly had to know what was going on. "Lilly, you remember how Daddy and I talked about having another baby?"

Lilly lit up. "I'm gonna be a big sister," she crowed.

Nora buried her face in Bass' shoulder. He could see the strain she held from trying not to sob. "Lilly," he began slowly. How did he tell her that there would be no baby? "Lilly, sometimes when people expect a baby…well things happen and the baby doesn't make it." He took a deep breath. "Your mommy…sweetheart, the baby isn't coming. It died." Nora began to cry softly. "Sometimes it happens that the baby can't survive for lots of reasons."

"Is that why Mommy's so sad?"

"Yes, princess. Mommy really wanted the baby to come. And it's no one's fault that the baby died. But it happened and we need to grieve."

Lilly wrapped her arms around her mother's waist. "Don't' be sad, Mommy. I'll love you twice as much to make up for the baby."

Nora hugged her tight. "I love you, Lilly," she whispered. "I love you so much."

Bass hugged them both. "It's going to be okay. Things are going to get better. The wars will die down, I'll be home more." He kissed Nora's hair. "I'll send for Rachel in the morning. It'll make things easier." Bass rocked them gently as he sighed. "Things will calm down."


End file.
